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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28387902">Small Things</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavenandhighwater/pseuds/heavenandhighwater'>heavenandhighwater</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Haikyuu!!</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Kenma, KuroKen - Freeform, Kuroo - Freeform, Kuroo and Kenma are roomates, M/M, Mentioned Akaashi Keiji, Mentioned Bokuto Koutarou, Mentioned Hinata Shouyou, Mentioned Kageyama Tobio, Mutual Pining, Pining, Roommates, Some angst, Very fluffy, bokuaka if you squint, kagehina if you squint</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 14:35:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,524</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28387902</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/heavenandhighwater/pseuds/heavenandhighwater</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroo has finally convinced Kenma to move in with him but recently Kenma has been a little more intimate than usual. It started with the small things but it only begins to progress further whilst they both pretend that nothing is different.</p><p>Kenma gets bored of waiting and yells.</p><p>Kuroo kisses him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kozume Kenma/Kuroo Tetsurou</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>149</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Small Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Wrote this in a day, not my finest work but I love this ship too much to care.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It started off with the small things. Little smiles turned into big ones, awkward side hugs turned into cuddles during movies and old teammates became roommates. Kuroo and Kenma didn’t even go to the same university but after too much commuting between dorms, it only made sense for them to find an apartment between both campuses. </p><p>It took Kenma a while to warm up to the idea, he had his own space and he liked that he could come and go as he pleased. He knew that living with Kuroo would mean little if any alone time and definitely no peace and quiet. Kuroo’s assertiveness was what drew Kenma too him and made them such strong friends but there was only so much he could take.</p><p>Eventually, he was worn down. It had been raining and all the buses and trams were full, plus his shorter stature meant that he couldn’t grab the attention of a taxi for the crowded footpaths. This meant that the only choice that Kenma had was to walk from his dorm to Kuroo’s, which was a thirty-minute walk across town. By the time he arrived at the door, he was soaked through to his skin and shivering in the cold.</p><p>When Kuroo opened the door he gasped, reaching for a blanket to wrap around the smaller man’s shoulders.</p><p>“Okay.” Kenma had whispered through chattering teeth. “I’ll move in with you.”</p><p>So, it was four months later and the pair had finally settled into the routine of living with each other. Kuroo would be out the apartment Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday morning whilst Kenma was out Tuesday through Thursday. Most of the time, they wouldn’t come together until the evening when Kuroo would make dinner and they would sit and watch movies until late in the evening. </p><p>The only times they clashed or argued were Fridays and Saturdays. Sometimes, Kenma would be too loud whilst gaming into the morning and Kuroo would yell at him that he couldn’t sleep and other times Kuroo would invite a lady friend or Bokuto over and make loud drunken noises all night whilst trashing the apartment. Obviously, the mess he made with Bokuto was much easier to deal with than that of his female guests but Kenma got annoyed all the same.</p><p>Despite these hiccups, they got along great and moving in together was the best decision they’d made, Kuroo respected Kenma’s ever changing moods and Kenma dealt with his morning workouts but best of all, they saw each other more.</p><p>Living together changed their dynamics though. They’d been living together for a little over four months when Kenma first did it. He’d come storming through the door, a little after five, one Wednesday with a sour look on his face. Kuroo was sat on the sofa, browsing through his phone deciding what to order for dinner and glanced up at Kenma. There was basically a thunder cloud above his head as he stomped towards the older male. Kuroo shuffled in his seat uncomfortably, trying to figure out what he’d done wrong when Kenma crawled on the sofa and curled up next to him.</p><p>It was the first time he’d done it and Kuroo almost choked on his own surprise. Kenma had buried his head against his chest and was staring at his frozen hands that were still gripping his phone. He placed his phone down gently and wrapped a cautious arm around Kenma’s body whilst his other hand stroked his hair. It must have been the right move because Kenma’s body relaxed and he let out a deep sigh.</p><p>“Are you okay?” Kuroo asked, softly.</p><p>“I’m just fed up. My lecture ran over half an hour whilst people asked the dumbest questions. I don’t understand why people don’t just pay attention. Like if they listened the professor wouldn’t have to repeat himself four times a day and hold us all back.”</p><p>Kuroo nodded and hummed, understanding that Kenma hated being in social situations for longer than strictly necessary.</p><p>“Yeah, that does sound pretty shit. How about I let you pick dinner and the movie tonight?” Kuroo offered, picking his phone back up and waving it under Kenma’s face.</p><p>Kenma sat up immediately, grasping the phone and ordering all of his favourites, along with a couple of bits for Kuroo. He wanted to watch a scary movie but Kuroo drew the line there, insisting they watch something that would allow him to sleep soundly.</p><p>After that, it became a routine. Whenever Kenma had a bad day, he would come through the door and curl up next to Kuroo, wherever he was until he felt better and ordered food. They even developed a routine for Kuroo’s bad days. On those days, Kenma would grab their matching blanket hoodies and set up a camp of blankets and pillows in the living room with popcorn and poky whilst they watched reruns of Kuroo’s favourite childhood shows.</p><p>On one of Kuroo’s particular bad days, he slumped through the door and didn’t even bother to find Kenma, instead heading straight to the sofa to lay down and stare at the wall. Kenma had heard him come in and after a few minutes of him not appearing in his doorway, he trotted outside his room, blanket hoodies in hand.</p><p>When he saw Kuroo laid on the sofa, he knew something was up. His usual cocky expression was replaced with a gloomy one; his eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes red and his cheeks flushed. Kenma dropped the hoodies and plopped himself cross-legged on the floor in front of Kuroo’s face.</p><p>“Kuro, what’s happened?”</p><p>“Bad day.” He replied, flatly.</p><p>“Why was it bad?”</p><p>“Had an argument with Bokuto this morning at practice, he was pissing me off and we snapped at each other pretty bad.”</p><p>“You guys are best friends, you’ve fought before. You know he’s gonna be on the doorstep tomorrow morning like nothing happened right?”</p><p>“Yeah, I know but then I went by Michi’s place cause I’ve sort of been shitty to her lately but she was busy with someone else. Like I know I’d been a bit of a dick but I was gonna ask her to be my girlfriend at some point.”</p><p>Kenma and Kuroo both knew that wasn’t true, he didn’t do relationships and he would never have asked her out. In reality all that happened was he’d fought with his best friend and gotten blue-balled but Kenma wasn’t going to push it. Everyone had days where they felt sorry for themselves and Kuroo was just having one of those.</p><p>“Okay, well don’t be so dramatic. You choose what to watch and I’ll grab my phone to look at takeout. Sound good?”</p><p>Kuroo nodded pathetically. “Popcorn?”</p><p>“I’ll make some. We’re out of poky though.”</p><p>“This day just gets worse!” He groaned in response.</p><p>Kenma chuckled and his body moved automatically, placing a soft kiss to Kuroo’s cheek.</p><p>“It’s not that bad.” Kenma replied.</p><p>He quickly realised what he’d done and shuffled away equally as fast before Kuroo’s noticed the blush on his face or he caught a glimpse of his matching one. He stood in the kitchen, placing popcorn into the microwave and cursing himself for being so stupid. Sure, they were more affectionate when trying to comfort each other but not that affectionate. Kenma paced the kitchen as the popcorn cooked, instead of returning to the living room like he usually would.</p><p>He felt like an idiot, mostly for kissing Kuroo but also for getting himself so attached to someone. He’d always kept his distance from people for that exact reason, he’d gotten attached and now it was all going to fall apart and he’d lose his closest friend. On top of that, he’d have to move out and he wasn’t sure where he’d move to. Should he move in with Shouyou? That wasn’t an option, he lived with Kageyama.</p><p>The microwave dinging brought Kenma out of his spiral and forced him to face the consequences of what happened. He expected to walk into the front room and see that face Kuroo makes when angry. It was rare that Kuroo could intimidate Kenma, he was usually pleasant and Kenma knew all his dark secrets but that face scared him. It told him he’d fucked up, enough to annoy Kuroo who was always the most accepting of Kenma’s flaws.</p><p>He didn’t see that face though, instead Kuroo was sat up on the sofa, texting. His bad mood appeared to be gone and he didn’t look angry or flustered. It was like it had never happened and Kenma was completely puzzled by Kuroo’s lack of a reaction.</p><p>Unbeknownst to Kenma, the second he left the room, Kuroo had freaked out. He’d paced just as Kenma had, trying to desperately wrap his head around what happened, and what it meant and whether he was reading too much into it. He settled for messaging Bokuto, telling him the fight was over and he needed his best friend back because Kenma had just kissed his cheek. Bokuto had been no help, freaking out just as much as Kuroo had but once Akaashi had taken over texting, he felt much better. As Kenma re-entered the room, he concluded that it was a mistake and Kenma meant nothing by it, the kid was weird, he did weird things. It meant nothing.</p><p>“Where’s your phone?” Kuroo asked, watching Kenma re-enter with just popcorn in his hands.</p><p>“Oh crap!”</p><p>Kenma’s face heated up with embarrassment and he turned back towards the kitchen to retrieve his phone from his coat.</p><p>“It’s fine, we can just use mine. I’ve stopped being dramatic now, I’m willing to share.” There was a sight chuckle in his voice and it eased them both to know that they were silently agreeing to just move past what had happened. </p><p>“Well, if your done being dramatic, we can both pick dinner.”</p><p>“I don’t know Kenma, I’m still pretty heartbroken.”</p><p>“Shut up, idiot.”</p><p>And that’s how they continued, living in the comfortable middle ground between friendship and something else. For the most part they acted the same, the cuddles during movies never ceased and they were still firm friends. After he got away with it the first time, Kenma did kiss Kuroo’s cheek more, mostly to say thank you or to cheer him up but it also happened when he just felt like it. </p><p>Kuroo was a little funny at first when he came to the realisation that they were no longer mistakes but over time he began looking forward to them. If Kenma went to bed and forgot to kiss Kuroo goodnight, he found himself sulking around the apartment in a foul mood until he finally received one.</p><p>He himself began doing things that would make Kenma flush pink and secretly long for them to last a second more. They’d been shopping down a crowded street when Kuroo grabbed Kenma’s wrist to keep them together. At one point, Kenma tripped and Kuroo clutched his hand instead and that’s how they stayed, walking down the street hand in hand. That progressed to handholding in any busy area, to holding hands when they walked anywhere, to holding hands just whenever.</p><p>They both knew what they were doing. Around anyone else, all the small things stopped and they behaved how they did when they first moved in. The second the person was gone; the pretence was dropped and they returned to their new normal. Secretly, they both knew that what they were doing was more than comfort and gratitude but they would never let the other know.</p><p>It all came to a head one day in June. The warmer weather and clear skies had tricked Kenma into believing a walk would do him some good. It did not.</p><p>The walk was pleasant, he went to a local park and enjoyed soaking up his annual dose of sunshine before he retreated home for the rest of the year. The problem came as he was leaving the park and heading home. The universe pulled his attention away from the coffee shop he was heading towards and drew it to a couple on a bench. They were sipping iced coffees and the girl was nestled comfortably in the guys lap but there was something familiar about it all, too familiar.</p><p>It was then that Kenma recognised the man. He’d known that bed head for years, that smile was imprinted in his mind and that laughter showed up in his dreams. It was Kuroo, on a date and not with Kenma.</p><p>A pang of something ran through Kenma’s heart. He’d seen Kuroo with girls a million times, hell, sometimes they were even naked except for a hastily grabbed blanket. Yet it was bugging him. Was it because they’d been so familiar lately? Was Kenma jealous? Yes, he was. It was Kuroo’s day off and he’d ditched Kenma to spend it with some blonde who needed her roots doing.</p><p>Kenma stormed away, skipping the coffee he planned on getting and wandering aimlessly around town trying to blow off the steam that was threatening to explode out of him. He walked for hours, only deciding to head home when the sun began dropping out the sky. He’d calmed a little and so long as he could get to his room without speaking to Kuroo they should have been okay.</p><p>Meanwhile, Kuroo had arrived home in the late afternoon and was confused to find the apartment empty. He assumed Kenma was running errands or visiting Shouyou and just forgot to say so didn’t worry much. But as the sky grew darker and he still hadn’t received a text, Kuroo began worrying. Kenma never did that, sure he would go missing at times, he had done since they were kids, but he never just disappeared. Kuroo paced the apartment, watching the clock tick later and the sky turn an inky black, still no Kenma.</p><p>When the door finally budged and the sound of jingling keys was heard, a little past ten, Kuroo practically dived from the living room into the kitchen. He saw Kenma enter and immediately understood. Kenma was having a bad day. His face was sour, his shoulders more curved over and his eyes were red. Had he been crying? It didn’t matter, Kuroo jumped straight into their usual routine and crossed the room in three quick strides. He scooped Kenma up and expected to feel the usual limbs wrap around him but it never happened.</p><p>“Put me down Kuro.”</p><p>“Why, what’s wrong?  You’re not hurt, are you? I swear to god Kenma if someone hur-“</p><p>“I said put me down!” Kenma yelled squirming out of Kuroo’s arms and landing on his feet, a glare on his face.</p><p>Kuroo went to reach out a hand but paused mid-movement. “Kenma? What’s going on?”</p><p>“It’s nothing.”</p><p>“Don’t say that. You always accept cuddles when you’ve had a bad day.”</p><p>“I don’t want your fucking cuddles.” </p><p>Kuroo recoiled away from Kenma, his words knives that cut his spirit. What was happening?</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“I said I don’t want your cuddles. I’m bored of all of this, all the touching and kisses and all of it. Just fucking stop it all.”</p><p>Kenma barely swore, he thought it was pointless and kind of flashy so to hear him do it twice only further proved that something was going on. Kuroo was hurt by Kenma’s words but he could only conclude that someone had hurt him. Why else wouldn’t he want to be touched?</p><p>“Kenma who’s hurt you?”</p><p>“You have, Tetsurou!”  Kenma cried, tears reaching the tipping point of his eyes.</p><p>There was a deafening beat of silence that consumed the room. Kuroo had hurt him, badly apparently. Kenma never called him by his given name, in their numerous years of friendship he’d heard Kenma use it twice and both times was to tell him off. Whatever he had done, he was in the shit for it.</p><p>“You-you say that we’re friends, you act one way around others but behind closed doors, it’s a different story!” Kenma’s voice was trembling and tears were sliding down his red cheeks. “I saw you today at the park. You left me home alone so you could go on a date with a girl that you’ll never talk to again once you’ve slept with her. Is that what I am!? Did you make me move in with you so you could fuck with me!?”</p><p>Kuroo was totally frozen. The girl at the park was an old fling. They were still a little touchy with each other but she was super gay, like really gay. They’d dated so her parents would keep off her back about not having a boyfriend but they were strictly friends. He wanted to laugh and tell Kenma he had it all wrong but he could see how hurt he was.</p><p>What were his intentions with Kenma? They were touchy and intimate but Kuroo had only dated girls before, he’d never once thought about dating a guy. Did he want Kenma that way? He did enjoy being close to him, and cuddling him and the kisses before bed but he wasn’t sure what all that meant. He’d always found Kenma pretty, always wanted to be around him, wanted to make him smile, wanted to see how he looked getting fu-</p><p>Holy shit, he liked Kenma.</p><p>Kuroo glanced down at Kenma, his breathing was heavy and whilst he wasn't saying words, his face gave it all away. His features were crumpled and fat blobs of tears ran down his face. They’d both messed up, they danced around the entire situation until they’d almost ruined it.</p><p>An arm reached out to Kenma and pulled him into a firm chest. The familiar smell of Kuroo filled his nostrils and as much as he wanted to fight it, he felt his body ease into the touch. Soon arms were lifting him up and he wrapped himself around Kuroo the way he always did, letting his face be buried into his neck and his thighs grip his waist.</p><p>Kuroo carried hem out of the kitchen, through the living room and to his bedroom. He sat on the edge of his bed, Kenma still wrapped around him and rubbed his back soothingly. Once he felt Kenma’s breathing become as level as it usually was, he tugged him out of his neck so that Kenma was looking up at him from his lap.</p><p>“This was never about fucking with you Kenma, I hope you know that.”</p><p>Kenma nodded pathetically and Kuroo reached his hands up to cup his face.</p><p>“I don’t really get us but then again I never have. I’ve not been thinking this entire time, I’ve just been doing what I wanted and what felt right. Being with you feels right.” Kuroo spoke softly and used his thumbs to wipe the tears that were drying on Kenma’s face.</p><p>“What about that girl today?”</p><p>“She’s just a friend, a super gay one at that. Her girlfriend is a lot like you actually, stubborn and cute.”</p><p>Kenma blushed at the compliment and allowed the reality of everything to sink in. Kuroo wasn’t seeing anyone and he enjoyed being with Kenma, so that could only mean good things, right?</p><p>“So, what does all that mean?”</p><p>“It means I like you dummy. Which is crazy cause you’re male and I am too. Where you aware of that?”</p><p>Kenma laughed at Kuroo and warmth spread through his heart. Kuroo liked him too, it was actually happening.</p><p>“Can I kiss you?” Kuroo breathed.</p><p>Kenma nodded, wrapping his arms around Kuroo’s neck and leaning in.</p><p>Their lips met in a warm embrace. Years of friendship, months of longing and all of the fear that mixed between the two poured into the kiss. It was simple and sweet, just two sets of lips that melded together perfectly and moved in synch like it was all they were made to do.</p><p>The kiss was new but it felt so familiar to both of them, like in some other life they’d done this before. Kenma’s mental walls broke down and Kuroo opened himself up, they were both allowing themselves to be vulnerable and in the moment, knowing the other would do nothing but support them.</p><p>The kiss broke when they both needed air, allowing them to sit with heaving chests and swollen lips. Kenma wasn’t done though. He wanted it more than he realised and he dove straight back to Kuroo, pressing their lips together once again and pulling the taller male impossibly close.</p><p>“Kenma,” Kuroo gasped between kisses. “Stay with me tonight. Please”</p><p>Kenma pushed Kuroo down so that he was laid on his back with the blonde sat on his stomach. He propped himself up of his arms and looked down at his closest friend, roommate and whatever else they were to each other. He smiled genuinely at the thought of sleeping in the same bed as Kuroo and curling into his arms before waking up in them as well.</p><p>“Okay.” He replied, bobbing down so that they could kiss once again.</p>
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